Eyeleting machines



June 19, 1962 R. D. DEXTER 3,039,511

EYELEITING MACHINES Filed Dec. 5, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor EYELETING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5. 1958 June 19,1962 7 R. D. DEXTER 3,039,511

EYELETING MACHINES Filed Dec. 3. 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 19, 1962 DEXTER 3,039,511

EYELETING MACHINES Filed Dec. 3, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 19, 1962 R. D. DEXTER 3,039,511

EYELETING MACHINES Filed Dec. 5, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 States This invention relates to eyeleting machines, and more particularly to improvements in a type of eyeleting machine employed to form terminals on the ends of electrical conductor wires. Examples of such terminals, machines, and the method for forming and attaching these terminals, are illustrated and described in both United States Letters Patent No. 2,530,575, granted November 21, 1950, in the name of S. L. Gookin, and No. 2,756,8(12, granted July 31, 1956, also in the name of S, L. Gookin. The former, or earlier granted, patent discloses means for Wrapping the hated end portion of a wire around an upstanding concentric pilot pin to form a substantially closed wire eye through which an eyelet barrel is to be inserted and then clenched around the wire eye.

With reference to said Patent No. 2,530,575, the wire eye forming is produced by inserting the bared end portion of the wire between and transverse to a pilot pin and an adjacently parallel wire wrapping finger. Upon actuation of the machine, the finger rotates eccentrically about the axis of the pilot pin, thereby wiping or bending the Wire end into the desired eyelet receiving configuration. While the former machine operates very satisfactorily upon solid core or single strand wire, difiiculty is sometimes encountered in forming eyelet terminals on the ends of multi-strand wires. This is due to the fact that one or more of the fine wire strands comprising the electrical conductor might not be wrapped tight enough against the pilot pin to be entirely contained within the confines of the clenched eyelet. If this condition occurs, any wire strand portion that projects radially beyond the outer flange portion of the eyelet is caught and ripped or frayed out further by the eccentric movement of the wirewrapping finger as the finger reverses its direction of rotation during the return of the machine to its at-rest position. Such a ripping out or fraying of the Wire strands not only weakens the clench or holding power of the eyelet upon the remaining wire strands, but also requires that such terminals be hand-processed to trim OK the frayed out or projecting strands before the terminal is solder-dipped, for if any strands were to be left projecting radially beyond the terminal, said strands would constitute an electrical hazard when installed in proximity with other electrical connectors.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide mechanism which, during the rotation of the finger in the wire-wrapping direction, will maintain the finger in firm wiping engagement with the bared strands of wire in order tightly to wrap or bend each strand about the central pilot pin, and which, after the completion of the wire eye formation and before the directional rotation of the finger is reversed, will positively hold the finger spaced apart from the clenched terminal and any wire strands that might slightly project therefrom, thus avoiding damage to the finished terminal by the finger during its reversing movement back to the at-rest position of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby, when the machine is in its at-rest position, the wire wrapping finger will be held a substantial distance removed from the pilot pin in order to provide adequate clearance for the insertion of the Wire end between the pin and the finger preparatory to the operation of the 3,339,511 Patented June 19, 1962 machine, and also to allow for the ready removal of the finished terminal at the end of the machine cycle.

One of the important features of the invention is that the wire wrapping finger, which in the instant machine is pivotally mounted for movement toward and away from the pilot pin, is resiliently and yieldably biased at all times toward the pin. However, means are provided for engaging the finger positively to move it away from the pin when the finger and machine are at the Zero degree, or at-rest position. It is to be here noted that in the illustrated embodiment of my invention the finger, during the wire Wrapping rotative movement, travels in a clockwise direction through approximately 290; however, as will be fully described hereinafter, toward the completion of the clockwise direction of travel, the upper end of the finger is abuttingly engaged by the eyelet and upper setting tool during their downward descent and i thus cammed outward away from the wire and eyelet.

Another important and novel feature of the invention is that, responsive to the finger camming action of the upper set tool, the foot portion of the finger extending beneath the pivot point is collared in its then inward position by the inner wall of an annular sleeve member which rises into engagement with said lower foot portion to prevent the-resilient biasing means from acting upon the finger during the counterclockwise rotative movement of the finger back to the zero degree, or at-rest position.

The above and other advantageous features of this invention will be more fully understood and appreciated when considered with the following detailed description in connection with the drawings, and will be pointed out further in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a right side perspective view of a machine, partly broken away, constructed in accordance with this invention and as seen in its at-rest position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the machine of FIG. 1, with certain parts removed or broken away to show details of the mechanism for controlling the pivotal movement of the wrapping finger;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, illustrating further details of certain features of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the wire wrapping mechanism illustrating the wire and the machine parts in the at-rest position;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2, but illustrating the parts, during an intermediate phase of the Wirewrapping operation, as viewed from the opposite side of the machine;

FIG. 6 is a plan view similar to that of FIG. 4, but illustrating the parts at the same intermediate phase as that illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2, but illustrating the parts as seen toward the completion of the wire wrapping operation;

FIG. 8 is a top plan View showing the wire and machine parts in the same phase position as that of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view, partly in section, showing certain parts as seen at the completion of the wire wrapping and just prior to the clenching of the eyelet;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but illustrating the parts as seen just prior to the eyelet clenching phase of operation;

FIG. 11 shows a completed wire terminal connector and the machine parts during the return movement to their lat-rest position;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the terminal and machine in the same position as that of FIG. 11, wherein the completed terminal is ready for removal from the machine; and

FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of a terminal in inverted position illustrating the clenched portion of the eyelet barrel about the bared end of the wire.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, it will be readily perceived that, for the purpose of illustration, this invention has been embodied in an eyeleting machine very similar in construction to the machine decribed in the above-mentioned Gookin United States Patent No. 2,756,802. In view of this obvious similarity, the general organization of the machine will not be herein described except to point out the two structural features wherein the machine of said patent differs from the machine of the present invention. Whereas the plunger 36), of the patent, for operating the upper eyelet-setting tool, is actuated downward by an elliptical cam 42 to impart two downward strokes of the plunger for each revolution of the cam shaft 32, in the present machine said plunger 30 is driven through a pitman-like crank linkage so that the plunger is reciprocated but once during each revolution of the cam shaft. The second point of difference resides in the construction of the mechanism within the housing, designated in the patent as 24. It is the difference, in contrast to this mechanism within the housing 24, which constitutes the subject of the present invention and which will be now described in detail.

The construction and actuation of the wire eye forming mechanism within the housing 24 closely resembles the structure of the lower setting die assembly disclosed in Gookin Patent No. 2,530,575, except that my wire wrapping finger is pivotally mounted and means are provided for controlling the pivotal movement of this finger toward and away from the central pilot pin during the fingers oscillatory rotation about the axis of the pin. Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, which illustrate the lower eyelet setting tool assembly in the at-rest position and with the housing 24 removed, a pilot pin 20, having a lower anvil portion 22, projects axially upward from a cylindrical supporting block 26. The cylindrical block 26, in turn, is rotatably journaled in a stationary bracket portion 28 comprising a forwardly extending part of the machine frame. The block 26 has an oscillatory operative movement imparted through a gear wheel 32 that is in mesh with a power driven toothed rack 34 carried on the forward end of a lever arm 36 that is driven with an oscillatory movement in time relation to the activation of the plunger 30. A wire wrapping finger 38, piovtally mounted within a vertical open-sided kerf formed radially in the block 26, extends above said block so as to be in adjacent proximity with the pilot pin 20; and this finger 38 is biased by a spring detent 40 so that the head of the finger is normally urged in the direction of the pin 20. However, a wire positioning guide plate 42 (FIG. 4) affixed to the top of the housing 24, is provided with a vertical edge portion 44 which, as the finger approaches the at-rest position, is disposed angularly in the path of the finger so that, upon contact against this edge, the finger is cammed progressively away from the pilot pin during the final movement of the finger to the 'at-rest position of FIGS. 1 through 3. The wire guide plate 42 is also provided with a vertical edge gage 46 against which the operator holds the side of the wire during the wire eye wrapping operation. With the wire-engaging head of the finger 38 thus held fully retracted away from the pilot pin 20, the bared end of the conductor wire may be manually inserted between the pin and the finger preparatory to the activation of the machine.

The mechanism for keeping the head of the finger retracted clear of the clenched terminal during the reverse rotation of the finger is best described with reference to FIGS. 2, 5, 7, and 11. This mechanism comprises an annular member 48 surrounding the block 26 and in close proximity therewith. This member 48 is restrained, against all but heightwise movement, by a circumferential series of vertically extending headed guide rods 50 passing downwardiy through the annular member and threaded into a stationary base mounting. The member 48 is normally maintained in a horizontal elevated position by compression springs 52, each of which is nested on one of the rods 50 between the base mounting and the member 48. The annular member 48, when thus resiliently supported so as to bear upward against the heads of the respective rods 50, is maintained at an upper limit of elevation whereat the inner wall of the member 48 is in a position to be contacted, by a lower outer side edge 54 (FIGS. 3, 10 and 11) of the pivotal finger 38, as said edge is constantly urged outwardly by the spring detent 40. With the lower edge 54 thus collared by its abutting con tact with the annularly shaped inner wall of the member 48, the head of the finger is held away from the pin 20. However, since it is desirous that the head of the finger contact with the wire, to press the wire against the pin 28, during the wire wrapping rotative movement of the finger, means are provided to allow the lower end of the finger to escape from collaring eifect of the member 48. As best illustrated, in FIGS. 5 and 10, the counterclockwise end of the member 48 is formed with a ramp-like cam face 56 ascending in a clockwise direction to the top surface of the member. The lower end of the cam face 56 is low enough, when the member 48 is in fully elevated position such as the at-rest position of the machine, to allow the bottom edge 58 (FIG. 3) of the finger to enter above and slide upon the cam face 56. As the finger commences to rotate clockwise and is thus released from the restraining cam action of the edge portion 44 (FIGS. 5 and 6), the wire wrapping rotative movement of the finger 38 causes this bottom edge portion 58 progressively to depress the cam face 56 and the adjacent portion of the annular member 48 (FIG. 5) until the bottom of the tinger is riding over the top of the member 48. In this operative phase the member 48 is fully depressed against the resilient force of the springs 52 (FIG. 7), and the spring detent 40 is exerting its force to keep the head of the finger 38 pressed against the wire during the wire wrapping operation. Toward the completion of the wrapping operation and just prior to the insertion of an eyelet barrel B the head of the finger 38 is cammed outwardly by the force of the upper setting tool 68 as it carries the eyelet downward into contact with the finger. The resulting wedging action causes the finger 38 to pivot from the position of FIG. 7 to that of FIG. 10. As the head of the finger is forced outward away from the wire, the fingers lower end is moved inward until the finger edges 58 and 54, lose contact with the surface of the annular mem ber 48, whereupon the member 48 is instantly restored, by the springs 50, to its fully elevated position (FIG. 10) whereat the collaring influence of the member 48 is once more established with respect to the lower end of the finger thereby to hold the upper end of the finger retracted and clear of the clenched terminal even after the upper setting tool 60 has moved upward out of contact with the finger (FIG. 11). With the finger thus held clear of the finished terminal, the terminal may be readily lifted and removed from the pin 20, either during the return movement of the finger or after the finger has reached the at-rest position where it is again restrained by reason of the camming edge portion 44 on the plate 42.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a wire terminal wire applying machine, having an eyelet setting anvil provided with an axially extending pilot around which the end portion of a wire may be Wrapped to form a loop through which an eyelet is subsequently inserted and set, and having a wire wrapping finger pivotally engageable with said wire end portion and normally disposed adjacent said pin and oper-atively mounted for rotative movement coaxially of said pilot in one direction to wrap said wire, and for movement in the opposite direction after the loop has been formed; the combination of means for pivotally moving the finger away from the pilot at the completion of the fingers rotative movement in its wire wrapping direction; and means operable in response to said pivotal finger movement for holding the finger away from the pilot and out of contact with the wire loop during the return rotative movement of the finger in said opposite direction.

2. In a machine for attaching an eyelet to a wire to form a terminal on the end of the wire, a frame; an anvil assembly including an upstanding pilot for receiving an unset eyelet after the end of the wire has been wrapped around the pilot, a wire wrapping finger pivotally mounted for movement toward and away from said pilot, yieldalble means normally urging the finger toward the pilot, and power-operated means for oscillating the finger about the axis of the pilot first in one direction from an at-rest position to wrap the wire and then backward to the at-rest position; means operable at the conclusion of the wire wrapping operation, positively to move the finger pivotally, against the force of said yieldab le means, away from the pilot; and means operable in response to the latter movement of the finger, for holding the finger away from the pilot during said backward movement and while at the at-rest position.

3. In a machine for attaching an eyelet to a wire to form a terminal on the end of the wire, a frame; an anvil assembly including an upstanding pilot pin about which the end of the wire is formed into an eye by wrapping the wire circumferentially about the pin; a wire wrapping finger mounted for pivotal movement in directions toward and away from said pin; power operated means for oscillating the finger about the axis of the pin; means operable at theconclusion of the wire wrapping operation, for pivotally moving the finger away from the pin; and means responsive to the latter movement of the finger 6 for holding the finger positively away from the pin during predetermined portions of the oscillatory movement.

4. A machine as defined in claim 3, wherein the finger is pivotally moved in one direction by yieldable means and is pivoted in the opposite direction by positive camming means.

5. A machine as defined in claim 4, wherein said positive camming means directly contacts the finger.

6. In a wire terminal eyelet applying machine, having a pair of cooperative axially alined eyelet setting dies relatively movable toward one another, and a wire wrapping finger operatively disposed adjacent one of said dies and rotatably movable axially about said one die in a direction to engage the end portion of a wire to wrap the wire into a loop about said one die before the eyelet is set and movable in the opposite direction about said one die after the eyelet has been set, the combination of: a pivotal mounting for the wire wrapping finger, means urging said finger pivotally toward said one die during the wire wrapping movement of the finger; and means pivotally restraining the finger in spaced-apart relation to said one die during the return movement of the finger in the opposite direction, whereby the finger is held out of engagement with the set eyelet during the latter phase of the machine cycle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,296,983 Cooper Sept. 29, 1942 2,439,465 Gookin Apr. 13, 1948 2,530,575 Gookin Nov. 21, 1950 2,756,802 Gookin July 31, 1956 

